What is CSH?

Comprehensive School Health:

Recognizes that healthy students learn and achieve more

Believes schools can influence students’ health and behaviours

Considers health needs to be incorporated across all areas of education

Requires the shared commitment and active participation of schools, families, and community members

Ontario Ministry of Education Comprehensive School Health Framework

Promoting well-being is part of Ontario’s Achieving Excellence vision. To this end, the Ontario Ministry of Education has drawn from the CSH conceptual framework and revised a resource that supports the integration and implementation of CSH across school and school boards. The updated Foundations for a Healthy School resource is intended to support the “integration of healthy schools policies, programs, and initiatives into school and school board planning and implementation processes” (Ontario, 2014, p. 3).

To support the implementation of CSH, the Ministry has identified 5 key areas for focus in Foundations for a Healthy School. Hover over each key area for more information.

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Learning programs based on the provincial curriculum, including teaching/learning strategies and resources, and assessment and evaluation practices

School and Classroom Leadership

Creating a positive classroom and school environment by identifying shared goals and priorities that are responsive to the needs of the school community

Student Engagement

Opportunities for students to be active contributors to matters related to their learning, the learning environment and their well-being

Social and Physical Environments

Consideration for the development of both the social and physical environments and the relationships that occur within and between these environments

Home, School and Community Partnerships

Engagement and coordination of services, expertise and resources that are available within and outside of the school and local community (e.g., school council, student council, youth outreach workers, local social services and clubs)

Social & Physical Environments

The quality of the relationships among and between staff and students in the school

The buildings, grounds, play space, and equipment in and surrounding the school

Teaching & Learning

Resources, activities and provincial/territorial curriculum where students build the skills to improve their health and wellbeing

Healthy School Policy

Management practices, decision-making processes, rules, procedures and policies at all levels that promote health and wellbeing, and shape a respectful, welcoming and caring school environment

Partnerships & Service

Supportive working relationships within schools (staff and students), between schools, and between schools and other community organizations and representative groups to facilitate services to promote student and staff health and well-being

So you’re teaching H&PE. Ophea has a resource for that! Join us to learn more about Ophea’s catalogue of resources, from lesson plans, to supplements, to activities, to Healthy Schools Certification. We’ll talk about our existing resources, Ophea’s position on the H&PE curriculum, and how through your H&PE practice, you can create the enabling conditions for comprehensive school health.

There are lots of resources to check out, and connections to be made between delivering high quality H&PE and building a healthy school community!